New civic center includes community theater

By Michael Picarella
pic@theacorn.com

The Calabasas City Council agreed last week to reserve space at the future Calabasas Civic Center site on Park Sorrento next to The Commons shopping center for a new theater.

A new nonprofit group, Spotlight the Arts, is helping raise funds for the new theater.

Spotlight will host its first fundraiser from 6 to 9 p.m. on Sun., Feb. 13 under the big top tent at the Sagebrush Cantina on Calabasas Road in Calabasas.

City council members pledged their support for all Spotlight the Arts fundraising efforts.

"Your homework has given all of us an encouragement that this is a great community-based effort," City Councilmember Dennis Washburn told Spotlight members.

The council authorized the city attorney to write a letter stating the city will set aside land for the theater so that Spotlight has an official document to show potential donors.

"Nobody is going to give money for a theater if there’s no place to put it," said Toby Keeler, Spotlight the Arts co-chair.

The city attorney will also draw up documents that will outline a type of partnership between Spotlight the Arts and the city.

The process could take some time, according to Calabasas City Manager Tony Coroalles, hence the reason for the formal letter from the city attorney. Spotlight wants to start raising money as soon as possible.

Additionally, the city council, following the Mountains Restoration Trust, New Millennium Homes developers and others, purchased 20 tickets at $75 each for the Feb. 13 fundraising event. Proceeds from the event will go toward building the Calabasas theater.

Stephanie Edwards, Los Angeles area veteran broadcaster, will be master of ceremonies at the fundraising event.

Entertainment will be provided by the Ellis Island Klez-Mex Band, a klezmer and mariachi fusion group. Cost of the event is $75. For tickets and more information, call Keeler at (818) 591-8500.

"(Spotlight’s) mission is to foster the visual and performing arts as an integral part of the city of Calabasas’ cultural offerings," Keeler said. "To that end, we’ll work toward the building of a theater at the Calabasas Civic Center so as to promote a variety of cultural activities and ensure that the theater serves all of our citizens."

Spotlight the Arts outlined its mission in a document to the city. Highlights include:

•Spotlight wants a theater at the Calabasas Civic Center because it will be the hub of the city where foot traffic is abundant

•Spotlight the Arts currently has 30 members

•An active venue for the arts is beneficial to the city because it would increase community participation and improve the quality of life for citizens of all ages as well as contribute to the cultural well- being of the city

•A theater could be the home of the Calabasas Chamber Orchestra, the Calabasas Players performance group, amateur and youth-community-based performance groups, concerts for young adults, conferences and seminars, film festivals, art gallery space and more

•Based on a preliminary assessment of community needs and other area community theaters, Spotlight believes the city should build a 10,688 square foot theater that provides seating for about 350 people, including up to 100 seats in the mezzanine

•Spotlight estimates the theater will cost about $4,275,200, not including legal fees, insurance, landscaping, design and construction contingency, box office equipment or software systems, parking facilities and fundraising costs

•Spotlight hopes to help develop a conceptual design of a theater for the civic center later this year followed by the development of an architectural program shortly after.